It Should be Worked Out on the Necessities of Life of a Child – Case 119

Lee – Tell us about what is going on with your situation?

Shared care with husbands ex. Have had child six nights a fortnight since child was two (is now 13).

We both work, my husband full time.

We pay for everything that she has at our house (the child has two bikes, two trampolines, we buy separate clothes, birthday and xmas presents, we pay for half of the school fees, all of her sports fees – subs and all equipment including required footware, otherwise child is not able to play.

We do the transport for all sport trainings and games, including pickup and drop offs on the weekend days mother has child.

Otherwise child wouldn’t play.

Mother needs a sleep in on Sat morning despite not even working full time.

Mother works part time.

Mother has never had a full time job very sad for someone in her 30s, what kind of example is that in terms of work ethic?

Child lacks for nothing.

.

How much did you pay on the old formula?

Pay $462

On the NEW formula what will that amount be per month?

Pay $740

Are you happy with the new formula?

No

What are your main reasons for being not happy with it?

We have the child almost half the time, and pay extras on top of that (as mentioned above).

We earn too much to be entitled to tax credits.

Every time we do something to better our own lives we are penalised by increases in payments.

We are seriously considering me going to full time work and my husband staying home.

Why is it that the mother doesn’t have to contribute as much as we do?

She buys the child (despite working very few hours a week and living of tax payers for the last 13 years) things like iPads, cell phones, leather chucks, clothes more expensive than I have, but still tells the child that she can’t afford school fees, camp fees (we pay those or the child doesn’t go)

Clearly we are on a good income, but sometimes it would be nice for us to be able to buy these treats for the child instead of being expected to pay for most of what we would call necessities .

If child support was a set amount per child split between both parents for the basic necessities, what do you think is a fair amount per month per child?

about $500 a month

What else would you like to say?

Formula should not be income based, it should be worked out on the necessities of life of a child – clothing, school fees, school uniforms, amounts for cultural and sporting activities, doctors fees, and a sundries amount.

Keeping in mind children cost very little to feed until they are in there teens.

Both sets of parents still have to live, i.e. pay rent/mortgage, power, phone, insurance.

These things should not be included in child support calculations.

Parents who have their children a lot (as we do) are punished unfairly by this formula. Ours should have gone down. NOT UP.

IRD SHOULD accept court ruling documents as well, and not expect non-custodial parents to waste time and energy on getting their ex’s to write letters confirming the things that are/should have been set in place by the courts.

IT IS COMPLETELY STUPID.

Lee – Thanks for sharing with us.

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